Regional Parks Botanic Garden at Tilden

The Botanical Garden in Tilden park is just breathtaking.
We visited during our Berkeley trip during the rainy season, so the creeks were rushing, the waterfalls were falling and everything was bright and covered with dew. It was also freezing, but I’d planned for that with a coat and a scarf.
I loved the small pathways and wide bridges and the thoughtful stonework was amazing. Everything felt flush and green but I think ambling down the small stone steps was my favorite.
Hopefully next time we head up it won’t be so wet, but it still was definitely a gorgeous adventure! Especial big thanks to whomever found our room key and tied it to a piece of wood for us to find on the bridge!

Definitely a hidden gem. Unlike the UC Garden which charges for parking and admission the Tilden Garden is FREE!
Most of the plants are native to the Bay Area
It is a fun place to explore and hang out. We saw people of all ages. Fun place for families. Some of the trails are steep and unfortunately the trails are mostly inaccessible for wheelchair users
There is a small but nice redwood grove that feels very meditative when you enter it.
Spring has almost sprung — there are lots of poppies, purple irises, teeny flowers…
Waterfalls here and there. Grassy areas to sunbathe, read and relax.
The parking lot is across the street. As mentioned by Suzanne F – the traffic is fast so be careful when you cross the street.
If you want a calm, quiet respite from your hectic life, this is the place to go

Beautiful. Such a nice place to walk around.

I have no idea we have this beautiful place here in the East Bay area! What a find! I wish more people know about this gorgeous place, then maybe more people will learn to appreciate and care more about nature.
It is hard to describe the beauty of this place. Even pictures doesn’t do it justice. One must be present to take it all in. Free entrance! Free parking! What are you waiting for?

It’s a bit of a winding drive to get down to the Botanic Garden at Tilden, but well worth it. The views you get are absolutely gorgeous (although mildly unsafe with some blind curves), and
the neighborhood route shows off some impressive houses (and a much, much safer route).
THE HIGHLIGHTS.
+ Fairly ample parking, both in the lot and on the road itself
+ Clean bathrooms located in the parking lot
+ Free admission and regular guided tours
+ Gorgeous, well-​maintained garden with a huge variety of plant specimens
+ Very easy to spend an hour or two wandering up and down the many foot paths
Adventuring through the garden was both relaxing and like a mini wilderness exploration all in one. I was able to take some great photos, see the greenhouse kitten, and bask in the chilly sun among redwoods.
I will happily be back soon!

When I first walked in, I wasn’t too impressed because the grass was browned and the plants didn’t look very interesting, but as I walked further in, there were more trees and shade. The park is actually decently big, and there is a variety of plants, although they all are sort of the same after a while. There’s a very small visitor center inside, and there’s a dried up lake and a foresty-​feel in one section. The walk is mostly flat, although there are stairs at some points. This is a nice place to walk around, but there really isn’t too much to see.

Accessible best on foot. limited access for wheelchairs or strollers. Well maintained and identified. a great resource.

Tilden Park is a hidden gem in the Berkeley hills. It has lovely views of the hills and canyons, and some amazing hiking trails. It has a little farm where kids can bring celery to feed farm animals such as cows, goats and lambs. Lake Anza is really popular swimming spot for the locals and its beach is packed on hot summer days. Then there is a carousel or merry –go-​round thats really popular with kids. Around Christmas, the carousel is beautifully decorated with lights and is open during evenings. And then there is the Steam Trains area that involves a lovely train ride through redwoods. And last but not the least is the Botanical Garden thats free and a peaceful oasis filled with manzanitas, agaves, etc blooming amidst lovely streams. In short, Tilden is a gem.

This botanic garden is a nice surprise in the park, but don’t expect a lush, tropical paradise — all of the plants are native to the area, so if there’s a drought, you’re not going to see the garden of Eden.
The grounds are very peaceful, but the real show stopper is the Redwood grove. There’s one special spot that transports its admirers back in time, so be on the lookout for the lone bench. It’s like stumbling upon the secret garden.

Why is this place free? Take my money, you’re awesome!

First time visitor to the garden last weekend. Amazing diversity of CA natives organized by region and habitat type. Liliums were about to flower! Parking is limited.

It has been about 3 or 4 years since I’ve been here and that was awfully silly of me. Don’t go in expecting lush tropical greenery and exotic flowers. The Botanic Garden at Tilden is dedicated to California native plants and does a fine job in exhibiting what our beautiful state has to offer. Entry is free and their volunteers and park staff do a beautiful job on maintaining the grounds.
This is the kind of place to visit when you need to slow down, unwind and decompress. A stroll along their paths and a picnic on the lawn will do you a world of good. After a hectic week, a visit to the Redwood Grove was just what I needed to recharge. Come spring there are a variety of wildflowers in bloom and everything was still a lush green from the (minimal) rain we had this past winter.
What a wonderful spot to bring a book, a friend or some lunch and just sit down, relax and soak in the nature. There are plenty of benches along with grassy areas to rest and it seems like a great, safe place to bring the kids to run around and enjoy nature.
If you’re spending a day up in Tilden and not hiking, I’d highly recommend adding this on to your visit to the Steam Trains, Little Farm or Carousel. How lucky are we in the East Bay that this gem is so accessible and FREE!
Other extras include a small parking lot across the road from the main entrance, as well as a nursery selling native plants (not sure of their hours so maybe look ahead on their website.)

Amazing botanical gardens featuring California’s native plants! From San Diego to Oregon, you’ll see a mind boggling array. The gardens feel a lot bigger than they really are with meandering paths that go up, down, over and under bridges and down to the creek. My kids LOVED hiking/​playing in here. They didn’t want to leave. My son called it The Maze. The adjacent parking lot is small and fills up. That is the only issue.
We will definitely be back.

A bit overrated, in my opinion. Great selection of native California plants and grass, but not much in the way of flowers, etc.
A real pain in the rear to get to this park, you are driving up single lane residential mountain roads, which are very curvy with blind corners, etc

What an unexpected pleasure and thrill my first visit to this other-​worldly garden. Primordial came to mind. It feels so ancient. Wandering the trails, sounds of Wild Cat Creek, aromatic air. Docent-​led tours are an excellent choice if you want to hear more about the history of natives — plants and people! Great for children. Leave pets at home. But bring a picnic. This could definitely be a perfect mid-​morning, enjoy some lunch and then explore some more kind of adventure. The all-​California native plants garden houses some rare and unusual species. Gardening geeks and amateurs will be amazed.
And guess what? It’s all free. The tours, the garden, the parking. But give back… donations are always welcome.

Come here to walk around and enjoy the diversity of nature — for free! There are a ton of different plants to look at, and a lot of them have funky names that will make you chuckle. I was surprised at how large this garden is.
The garden is arranged into labeled «regions,» including desert, redwood forest, and seaside, among others. They’ve also placed signs for most of the plants listing information such as the species, location, and endangered/​rare status. In many cases, it’s unclear which plants the signs correspond to – but keep in mind that this is a free garden.
There’s not a lot of shade, so come with some sun protection.

Wow, the Botanic Garden surpassed my expectations!
I was in the area with a friend-​and we decided to veer off into this place. We both were surprised; this place is very pleasing to the eyes and the nose. The colors of the various flowers and shrubs/​plants are unique-​the colors definitely draw you in during the hike/​stroll. The smells are welcoming. This was a pleasant laid back hike/​stroll. I highly recommend this hike for folks who want to learn about and experience the wonderful smells of indigenous flora of the SF Bay Area. This is a great family hike-​an awesome way to introduce ones kids into hiking.
I was impressed by the redwood grove area which is a part of the Botanic Garden, as well as the various wooden bridges which overpass the creeks/​streams. This place is very relaxing and peaceful. I will be checking this place out more.

The Botanic Garden at Tilden, was founded in 1940 and is a gorgeous and often overlooked place for Families to enjoy nature in safe and nurturing environment. You can wander around as long or as little as you would like and it’s a nice supplement to the common Little Farm, Carousel, and Steam Trains circuit.
The Botanic Garden at Tilden is relatively small (~10 acres), but contains a nice variety of plant species and associated landscaping. I also have fond memories of my step-daughter’s Girl Scouts-​related «Fly Up» ceremony that was held here. It’s free and any donation is a small price to pay for this kind of serenity and beauty.

What an excellent way to bring in the fall. My sis and I decided to have a mini-​picnic at the Botanic Gardens and it was just what I needed to slough off the work week.
Our Sunday afternoon was crisp and with blankets on hand and books in tow we made our way up to Tilden. Absolutely gorgeous ride! As we pulled into the small parking lot, it was nice to know there were bathrooms close by. The Botanic Gardens are free and everyone is welcome. It’s really a treat to relish in the Native plants and chat with the docents who are very sweet volunteers.
After perusing the rocky paths (not very wheelchair friendly) my sis and I found a grassy knoll to park our picnic. We spent about an hour in the sunlight beneath beautiful aspen trees, reading, snacking and napping. It’s a perfect place to get away from the bay area and it’s such a quiet spot that you can really relax.
10 stars for this amazing place. It makes you just want to say «Ahhhhhhhhh.»

An absolute treasure. I love Berkeley and I will miss it so dearly next year =’(Why do I have to graduate?!!
The Botanic Garden has the cutest little plants: cacti, berries, pretty blossoms, and funny-​shaped flowers. There is also a nice, shaded area with tall redwoods. My camera was happy.
Entrance is free, and parking lot is nearby.